Demolition device and method



Oct. 29, 1957 J. H. HARRIS DEMOLITION DEVICE AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March '7, 1956 INVENTORQ J //EA/P) flaw/5 Oct. 29, 1957 J. H. HARRIS 2,810,969

DEMOLITION DEVICE AND METHOD Filed March 7, 1956 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 If f IN V EN TOR. 2 f4 2; i4 24 finer/ma a DEMOLITION DEVICE AND METHOD John Henry Harris, Berkeley, Calif.

Application March 7, 1956, Serial No. 570,068

7 Claims. (Cl. 37-184) The invention relates to the art of wrecking buildings and to the tools and implements and methods used in connection therewith.

The demolition of buildings has been largely carried out in the past with much hand labor so as to salvage as much as possible the building materials. The gradual and constant increase of labor costs has made this method increasingly less profitable and practicable. The hand take-down method is also relatively v'ery' time-consuming and is again impracticable where the loss .of use of 'the property will result in loss of profits to the owner. or important public or private inconvenience, In such cases there is a high premium in the completion ofIthe United States Patent demolition and the clearing of the ground for its new.

use in the shortest time and at the smallest cost without regard to the salvaging of materials. In accordance with the present invention and as a principal object thereof, the device and method herein presented are specially designed and adapted to accomplish this latter described manner of demolition of old buildings and clearing of the ground for its new intended use. J

Another object of the present invention is to provide a demolition device of the character described which is very ruggedly built and is capable of withstanding the heavy punishing use to which it is put.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

v Figure 1 is an end elevation of a demolition device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the racks of ram-like members forming part of the device. 7

Figure 3 is an end elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing the racks in closed position.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device as illustrated in Figure 3 and is taken at the position suggested by the plane of line 4-4 in Figure 3.

The demolition device of the present invention consists, briefly, of a pair of racks 6 and 7, each composed of a plurality of massive elongated ram-like members 8,9, 10, 11 and 12 in the case of rack 7, and 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 in the case of rack 6. As will be observed from Figures 2 and 4, the members 8-12 and 15-19 are mounted in spaced side-by-side relation and are provided with pointed lower ends 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 in the case of rack 6, and 27, 28, 29, and 31 in the case of rack 7, for "breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, the members being particularly elfe'c'tive in this regard when dropped in vertical position onto the building structure. The racks.6 and'7 are connected for articulated movement between an open position, as illustrated ,in Figure 1, with the racks in generally spaced parallel upright position of the ram members and with the pointed ends lowermost, and a closed position of the racks as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 wherein the lower ends of the ram members are moved into transversely overlapping relation. In this latter closed position and as an important feature of the present device, the members 1519 on rack 6 are staggered from the members 8-12 of rack 7 so as to provide a meshing of the lower ends of the ram members when in closed position, and a general movement of one set of members between the others with scissor-like action as the racks are swung to closed position. The ram members 15-19 on rack 6 may be spaced centrally between the ram members 8-12 on the other rack 7 or to one side of center as may be most effective for the kind of wrecking encountered and materials handled.

, The mounting of the racks 6-7 for articulated move mentfas aforesaid, is here elfected by horizontally spaced arms 33 which extend from rack 6, and horizontally spaced arms 34 which extend from rack 7 and which are pivotally joined by a shaft 36 so as to provide a pivotal axis medially between the two racks. Articulation of the racks is further obtained by the use of horizontally spaced links 37 which are pivotally connected to and extend upwardly from rack 6, and similar links38 which are pivotally connected to and extend upwardly from rack 7, the upper ends of the links 37 and 38 being pivotally secured to a head member 39. The latter is here provided with anfeye 41' arranged for engagement with a hook 42 at the loweren'd'of a crane hoisting cable 43. Sheave blocks 44f'and 46' are carried by the, head member 39 and the pivotfshaft 36, and are connected by a closing cable 47 which is entrained around the sheaves and extends from the upper end of the device for reeling in or paying out by the operator of the crane to cause a closing and opening of the racks, respectively.

As another feature of the present invention, the demo-' lition device may be incorporated with a modified form of clamshell bucket which is composed of the usual pair of concave-convex bucket shells 48 and 49 which here serve as a connecting link between the racks 6-7 and the arms 33-34, and are arranged with their concave sides and their normally end and bottom edges opposed and mounted for movement between a swung-apart open position as illustrated in Figure l, and a swung-together closed position as illustrated in Figure 3. In such case the racks 6-7 are mounted on the outer or convex side of the shells in planes parallel to the axis of the pivot shaft 36 and with the ram members 8-12 and 15-19 projecting from the bottom edges 51 and 52 of the shells for piercing the building structure well in advance of the shell bottoms. The shells 48 and 49 perform a desirable function in providing a scoop or enclosure for small pieces of debris but are so fashioned in the present case so that the bottom edges 51-52 stay wide apart in closed position, as seen in Figure 3, whereby the actual bottom closure for the device is provided by the overlapping and enmeshed ram members 8-12 and 15-19.

As another feature of the present invention, the racks 6 and 7 are provided with a horizontal dimension parallel to the shaft 36 somewhat greater than the corresponding dimension of the shells so that the end members 8 and, 12, and 15 and 19, of the two racks, are laterally spaced from and overhang the end surfaces 53 and 54 of the shells 48-49. The suspension of members 15 and 19' and 8 and 12 theyond the ends of the shells provides rela-.'. tively open spaces at the opposite ends of the device for. the catching and entrapment of larger pieces of buildingmaterial without interference by the shells. Suppor't'for' the ram members on the exterior sides of the shells in endwise suspended relation thereto is here effected,

as bestseen in Figures 2 'and 4, by elongated supporting members 56 and 57 whichare mounted on the convex sides of the shells generally parallel to the shaft 36 and extend into 'overha't'igingielationto the ends 53*atid 54 of 'tl'ie shells. The ram members "are laid crosswise "to the supportingme'mhers 56- 57and' may he securedthereto "as by Weldiu'g'or the like. 'Fill'ethiember's f58,dia"gonallybrac'i'ng members 59; and 'web' n embers 61, may be included 'in'the ra'c'ks toprovide suitablereinforcing, as illustrated.

In "ac'cordahcewith' the prefei fedmethod of the present' invention, the device is raised bya' crane or the like, an "by cable "43, "eve the building structure ft'o' be demoli'shed, and; cable 47 is "operated to open the device tofapproxi'ma'tely the position of'tl'i'eiacks, as illustrated in Figure lthat"is, 'wi'ththeram like"membersin generally' vertical relation, 'The device isthen' dropped onto thestruc'tureto cause the lower poin'te'd'ends 'of'the r'am members to strike with great 'fO'fce, permitting "these members to tear into and through the walls of the structur'e. Ther'acks are then moved toatleast partially closed'p'osition t'o define a claw firmlygrip'ping the sectidn of thebu'ilding' tor'n into. The'c'rane' operator then raises the device soas to "plill away a whole section'of the"s'tructur'e. This section is then preferably" swung over and dropp'ed'u'pon open ground and'the ram members droppeduponthe section to b'reak it'up'infa sledge-like action. The racks'a're't'hen preferably fully operied,as illu'strfated in Figure l ,'even with the ram members, extended beyond vertical. position as illustrated, and set down over "the" mass of pieces of debris caused by the breaking up of the'sectio'n on the ground. Closing of the sections then causes the lo'wer'e'r'ids'of the ram members to crunch, rake andbunch together these loose pieces. Several passes of the 'ram'rnembers over 'and 'through the mass may be'made to'co'mplete the bunchin'g'a'nd compaction of thes'mallerpieces'into the closed scoop provided by the device in closed position. The compact mass may then'be'elevated' from the ground and deposited into waiting haul-away trucks.

While'the present device hasbeen illustrated and described primarily as a building demolition unit,'it will be understood that it may find other valuable uses in the clearing of brush, handling of logs, and other material. The device also provides a use for clamshell buckets which are worn out in their bottom edges and surfaces and-must be discarded. In such case, the'bott'om sections of the clam buckets are cutaway so as to leave an open bottom as hereinabove described- I claim:

1. A demolition device comprising, a clamshell bucliet composed of a pair of concave-convex bucket shells mounted with their concave sides opposed and pivotally connected about a medial axis for movement between a swung-apart open position and a swung-together closed position, and a pair of racks each composed of an elongated transversely extending header piece and a spaced parallel extending elongated brace member and a plurality of massive elongated ram-like members having upper ends secured to and supported by said header piece and mid portions secured to and braced by said brace member with said ram members supported in spaced parallel relation generally perpendicular to said header piece and brace member and with the lower ends of said ram members projecting in freely spaced relation from said brace member, said racks being mounted on the convex sides of said shells in planes parallel to said axis and with said members projecting from the bottom edges and being pointed for breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, said members being arranged generally tipright'in said open position and in transversely overlapping' 'relation 'in said closedposition, the members on one "rack being staggered irom the 'members 'on 'the other-Track so "as to mesh in said closed position,'said botto'm'edges"of 'said shellsbe'ing spaced apart in said closed 4 positionso'that'said" overlapping and enmeshed'members define a bottom closure for-said shells in closed position.

2. A demolition device comprising, a clamshell bucket composed of a pair of concavo-convex bucket shells mounted with their concave sides opposed and pivotally connected about a medial axis for movement between a swung-apart open position and a swungtogether closed position, and a pair of racks of massive elongated ramlike members'arranged in spaced substantially parallel side-by-side'relation-and connecting transverse supports, said racks being mounted on the convex side of said shells in planes parallel tosaidaxis andwith said members projecting from the bottom edgesand being pointed for breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, said racks having a dimension parallel to said axis greater than the corresponding dimension of said shells so as to overhang said end edges of said shells, said members being'arranged'generally up'right'in 'said'open position an'd'in'transverselyoverlapping relation in said closed position, the members on one rack being staggered from themembers 'on'the other'rack so 'as 'to'mesh in said closed position, 'sa'idbo'ttom edges of said shells being spaced apart in 'sai'd closed position so that said overlapping andenmeshed'niembers define a bottom closurefor said shellsin closed'i position.

'3. A demolition device comprising, a pair of concaveconvex bucket "shells,"arms'ext'ending from said shells,"a pivot member joining 'adja'eent ends'of' said arms to position theconcave' sides of said shells in opposed relation and for movement about theaxis of said pivot member betweena swung-"apart open position and a swung-together closed position," links' pivotally connected to the normally upperends of 'fsaidshells; a head'member pivoted to the upp'er'ends'of said'linksfshe'ave and 'cable'means connectd'tosaid'headmember and pivotmember to effect theraisirig and lowering'of said'device an'd movement'of said-"shells between op'e'nand closed positions, elongated supporting members m'ounted'on the convex sides of said,shellsjparallel to said axis and overhangingthe ends of said shells,'an'd mas'siv'e elongated ram-like members mounted on'sai'd supporting members in substantially parallel side-by-side relation at spaced intervals over the lengthwisedimen'sion 'of saidshells and in spaced overhanging relation to the ends of said shells and projecting from the bottom edges of said shells for breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, said ram membersbeing arranged generally upright in said open position and in transversely overlapping relation in said closed position, the ram members on one rack being staggered from theram members on the other rack so as to mesh in said closed position, said bottom edges of said shells being spaced apart in said closed position so that said overlapping and enmeshed ram members define a bottom closure for said shells in closed position.

4. A demolition device com'prising,'a pair of concavoconvex bucket shells mounted with their concave sides opposed'and pivotally connected for movement about a medial axis between a swung apart open position and a swung together closed position, and a pair of racks each composed of an elongated transversely extending header piece and a spaced parallel extending elongated brace member and a' plurality of massive elongated ram-like members having upper ends secured to and supported by said header piece and mid portions secured to and braced by said brace' member with said ram members supported in spaced parallel relation generally perpendicular to said header piece and brace-member and with the lower ends of said ram' members projecting in freely spaced relation from said brace member, said racks being mounted on the convex" sides of said shells in planes parallel to said 'axis and with said headerpiec'es secured across said shells generally parallel to said axis and adjacent the normally upperedges ofsaid shells, said'brace members being' secui'ed' across'said shells generally parallel to said axis adjacent the normall bottom edges of said shells with the free ends of said ram members projecting from said edges generally perpendicular thereto, said free ends of said ram members being pointed for breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, said ram members being arranged generally upright in said open position and in transversely overlapping relation in said closed position, said ram members on one rack being staggered from the ram members on the other rack so that said free ends will mesh in said closed position, said shells being formed in closed position with said bottom edges spaced apart so that said free ends of said ram members define a bottom for said shells in closed position.

5. A demolition device comprising, a pair of concavoconvex bucket shells mounted with their concave sides opposed and pivotally connected for movement about a medial axis between a swung apart open position and a swung together closed position, and a pair of racks each composed of an elongated transversely extending header piece and a spaced parallel extending elongated brace member and a plurality of massive elongated ram-like members having upper ends secured to and supported by said header piece and mid portions secured to and braced by said brace member with said ram members supported in spaced parallel relation generally perpendicular to said header piece and brace member and with the lower ends of said ram members projecting in freely spaced relation from said brace member, said racks being mounted on the convex sides of said shells in planes parallel to said axis and with said header pieces secured across said shells and into overhanging relation to the opposite ends thereof generally parallel to said axis and adjacent the normally upper edges of said shells, said brace members being secured across said shells generally parallel to said axis adjacent the normally bottom edges of said shells with the free ends of said ram members projecting from said edges generally perpendicular thereto, said free ends of said ram members being pointed for breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, said ram members being arranged generally upright in said open position and in transversely overlapping relationship in said closed position and the outside ram members of said racks being supported by said header pieces and brace members in spaced relation to the two said opposite ends of said shells and the ram members on one rack being staggered from the ram members on the other rack so that said free ends will mesh in said closed position, said shells being formed in closed position with said bottom edges spaced apart so that said free ends of said ram members define a bottom for said shells in closed position.

6. A demolition device comprising, a pair of con'cavoconvex bucket shells mounted with their concave sides opposed and pivotally connected for movement about a medial axis between a swung apart open position and a swung together closed position, and a pair of racks each composed of an elongated transversely extending header piece and a spaced parallel extending elongated brace member and a plurality of massive elongated ram-like members having upper ends secured to and supported by said header piece and mid portions secured to and braced by said brace member with said ram members supported in spaced parallel relation generally perpendicular to said header piece and brace member and with the lower ends of said ram members projecting in freely spaced relation from said brace member, said racks being mounted on the convex sides of said shells in planes parallel to said axis and with said header pieces secured across said shells and into overhanging relation to the opposite ends thereof generally parallel to said axis, said brace members being secured across said shells generally parallel to said axis with the free ends of said ram members projecting from the bottom edges of said shells generally perpendicular thereto, said free ends of said ram members being pointed for breaking into and through building structures to be demolished, said ram members being arranged generally upright in said open position and in transversely overlapping relation in said closed position and the outside ram members of said racks being supported by said header pieces and brace members in spaced relation to said opposite ends of said shells and the ram members on one rack being staggered from the ram members on the other rack so that said free ends will mesh in said closed position.

7. A demolition device as characterized in claim 6 wherein said brace members are secured across said shells generally parallel to and adjacent the bottom edges of said shells.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,395 Symonds July 21, 1874 711,489 Gearing Oct. 21, 1902 1,545,099 Harrington July 7, 1925 1,666,869 Zica Apr. 17, 1928 1,762,946 Atkinson June 10, 1930 1,833,389 Carney Nov. 24, 1931 1,864,793 H. Botten June 28, 1932 2,161,147 Ehrhardt June 6, 1939 2,405,131 I. Botten Aug. 6, 1946 

